At the 2025 MACo Summer Conference, counties explored how technology is transforming preparedness, planning, and response. The session, “Ready, Set, Respond: Tech Tools for County Emergency Preparedness,” highlighted practical innovations counties can deploy to bolster resilience and safeguard communities.
State Delegate Jason Buckel moderated the conversation, guiding panelists through how counties can harness cutting-edge tools to anticipate risks, protect infrastructure, and respond when disasters strike.
#Counties are harnessing cutting-edge tools to prepare for and respond to emergencies. At #MACoCon, Ready, Set, Respond dives into tech innovations from early warning systems to mapping tools and smart sensors.#MDpolitics #localgov pic.twitter.com/gpOGilhSLx
— Kevin Kinnally (@KKinnally_MACo) August 13, 2025
Panel speakers included:
- Ben Yelin, Program Director, Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security
- Brandon Jones, Community Consultant, Hohonu Inc.
- Joanie Appell, GIS Program Manager, Anne Arundel County
Ben Yelin explained how federal funding uncertainty is squeezing county budgets and limiting the ability to procure critical technology. He highlighted an upcoming report showing how potential FEMA policy changes could cost Maryland hundreds of millions annually in preparedness and homeland security funds.
Yelin emphasized the “preparedness dividend,” noting that every dollar invested in preparedness yields six dollars in return. He also cautioned that proposed federal disaster threshold changes would have left Maryland without a single FEMA disaster declaration since 2016.
Brandon Jones focused on technology-driven resilience, describing how Hohonu partners with local governments to deploy real-time water level sensors and environmental monitoring tools. He highlighted the value of accurate data in planning for floods and extreme weather. Jones also stressed the importance of connecting these tools to equity by creating STEM opportunities for historically excluded communities.
Joanie Appell shared real-world examples of how GIS and mapping tools have transformed disaster response in Anne Arundel County. She explained how gaps revealed by a new computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system prompted stronger policies for maintaining accurate data. Appell also described lessons from Tropical Storm Ida, when GIS technology and aerial imagery helped quickly assess tornado damage, coordinate resources, and accelerate recovery.
The session was on August 13 at the Roland Powell Convention Center in Ocean City, Maryland.
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